Chicagoland… and around the world

Planting Time In Arkansas

Spring is finally here and it’s time for the farmers all over the country to get those seeds in the ground! A recent assignment took me to rural Arkansas to photograph corn planting. Although it started off as a chilly, foggy morning, the day quickly warmed up. Despite my best preventative efforts I even got a little sunburnt. It was hard to believe that back in 2011 this entire area was underwater with record floods. In the farm’s equipment office these guys had photos all over the walls of the incredible damage that was done. A farmer’s life is a rough one. I have been to this farm before and heard stories of the challenges. As if to underline that point, the entire area was hit with devastating tornados not long after I left. This past weekend I watched as the online weather maps put tornado touchdown icons all around the town and farms that I visited. One of the farmers that I photographed said that he and his family are fine, but he knew a few people that have lost everything.